According to CertiK, cryptocurrency holders lost approximately $101 million from wrench attacks in the first four months of 2026, with 34 verified incidents reported globally—a 41% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Eighty-two percent of these attacks occurred in Europe, with France accounting for the majority. CertiK noted an emerging trend: more than half of 2026 incidents targeted family members of primary victims, including spouses, children, and elderly parents, either as direct targets or as leverage.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Defendant Sentenced to 7 Years for Illegally Obtaining 900 Million Citizens' Records via Cryptocurrency
According to Beijing Haidian District People's Court, a defendant was recently sentenced to 7 years in prison and fined 70,000 yuan for illegally obtaining over 900 million pieces of personal information through encrypted communication channels. The defendant built a "social engineering database"
GateNews39m ago
Revolut app chart malfunction triggers user confusion as Bitcoin price briefly “crashes”
Revolut, a fintech platform, confirmed on May 8 that there is a technical issue affecting some cryptocurrency functions. According to a statement on X from Revolut’s official support account, engineers are actively investigating the root cause. Previously, the Revolut app charts briefly showed Bitcoin down as low as $0.019916, and some users simultaneously received push notifications saying BTC had hit a 52-week low. After the incident lasted for several seconds, things returned to normal.
MarketWhisper2h ago
LayerZero Updates Multi-Signature Security After Internal RPC Attack; 0.36% of Assets Affected
According to LayerZero Labs, the protocol's internal RPC infrastructure suffered attacks from Lazarus Group over the past three weeks, affecting 0.14% of applications and approximately 0.36% of total asset value. External RPC providers also experienced DDoS attacks. Despite these incidents, LayerZer
GateNews3h ago
Crypto Wrench Attacks Surge 41% in Early 2026, with $101M in Losses Reported by CertiK
According to crypto security firm CertiK, victims lost approximately $101 million from crypto wrench attacks—physical assaults and extortion attempts—during the first four months of 2026. CertiK verified 34 incidents globally in this period, representing a 41% increase compared to the same
GateNews6h ago
Australian Police Seize 52.3 Bitcoin Worth $4.1M in Dark Web Investigation, Arrest 2 Suspects
According to ChainCatcher, Australian New South Wales police seized 52.3 Bitcoin (approximately $4.1 million) and arrested 2 suspects in connection with illegal dark web market operations in Ingleburn, Sydney, following a 15-month investigation. The cryptocurrency is suspected to be proceeds from
GateNews14h ago
Fed Confirms $25B Tokenization Surge, Flags DeFi Risks
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook delivered a landmark speech on May 8, 2026, at the Central Bank of West African States Conference in Dakar, Senegal, addressing the rapid growth of tokenized assets in the United States. Cook confirmed that tokenized assets in the U.S. have more than doubled in mar
CryptoFrontier16h ago
